Musical Cracker

ABSTRACT

A cracker ( 1 ) including a central body ( 2 ), and a pair of opposing pull-formations ( 4 ) frangibly connected to opposite ends of the central body. A sound module ( 10 ) is disposed substantially within the central body and is adapted upon activation to produce a predetermined sequence of audible tones. The cracker further includes activation means ( 15 ) for the sound module and triggering means ( 21 ) operable such that detachment of either one of the pull-formations from the central body causes the triggering means to activate the sound module.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to party accessories, and moreparticularly to “Christmas crackers”, otherwise known as party crackersor bon bons.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following discussion of the prior art is intended to provide anappropriate technical context for the invention and enable theadvantages of it to be more fully appreciated. However, any reference toprior art should not be construed as an express or implied admissionthat such art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledgein the field.

Traditional Christmas crackers or bon bons comprise a generally tubularcentral body portion and a pull-formation at each end. The central bodyusually contains a small novelty item such as a toy, a party hat, a jokeor a combination of such items. Each pull-formation is joined to thecentral body by means of a frangible connection, typically formed frompaper or cardboard. Internal elongate activation strips extend inwardlyfrom the respective pull-formations and are detachably connected inoverlapping relationship within the central body. The activation stripsincorporate friction tabs and a minute quantity of an explosive such asgunpowder in the overlapping zone. In this way, when the cracker ispulled from both ends with sufficient force, one of the pull-formationsrandomly detaches and is separated from the central body, whereby theactivation strips also become separated from one another. During theseparation process, relative sliding movement of the overlappingfriction tabs detonates the explosive, to produce a harmless butstrongly audible “bang”, which is intended to heighten the sense ofcelebration and surprise.

One significant difficulty with crackers of this type relates totransportation and distribution of the product in commercial quantities.More particularly, with heightened security measures being imposedinternationally, the transportation of explosives, even in smallquantities, is subject to increasingly stringent controls, restrictions,prohibitions and cost premiums. These measures have had the effect ofincreasing transportation and wholesale distribution costs in andbetween a significant number of jurisdictions, to the point of reducingthe commercial viability of certain aspects of product distribution,particularly by sea, road and rail transport, using postal or courierservices, to the point where the product has become commerciallymarginal, and in some circumstances non-viable. The transportation ofexplosives also constitutes a safety hazard.

Some attempts have been made to overcome these difficulties, by means ofalternative activation and sound production mechanisms that do not makeuse of explosives. However, these alternative systems have not beenoperable consistently and reliably in response to the random separationof either pull-formation and have therefore compromised an importantaspect of the traditional element of surprise.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantiallyameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or atleast to provide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention provides a cracker including:

a central body;

a pair of opposing pull-formations frangibly connected to opposite endsof the central body;

a sound module disposed substantially within the central body andadapted upon activation to produce a predetermined sequence of audibletones;

activation means for the sound module; and

triggering means operable such that detachment of either one of thepull-formations from the central body causes the triggering means toactivate the sound module.

Preferably, the triggering means include a pair of triggeringmechanisms, each being operatively associated at one end with arespective one of the pull-formations and being operatively connected atthe other end with the activation means.

Preferably, each trigger mechanism includes an elongate activationstrip, which is preferably secured at one end to the respectivepull-formation. In a preferred form, the sound module is electronic,including a battery, speaker and microchip containing stored informationcorresponding to the predetermined sequence of audible tones.

Desirably, the activation means include a pair of switches wired inparallel with the sound module. In one particularly preferred form ofthe invention, each switch includes a movable first contact resilientlybiased toward a second contact. Prior to activation, a proximal end ofthe associated activation strip is preferably disposed to separate thefirst and second contacts so as to maintain the switch in an inoperativeor open state. Preferably also, upon physical removal of the proximalend of the activation strip, the first and second contacts areresiliently biased into engagement whereby the switch is moved into anoperative state, the triggering circuit is closed, and the sound moduleis thereby activated.

In the preferred embodiment, the predetermined sequence of audible tonescorresponds to a tune associated with a traditional religious festival,such as a Christmas Carol, a song such as “Happy Birthday” associatedwith a traditional cultural celebration, a national anthem, a well-knownmusical theme, or any other tune or song, whether associated with areligious or cultural festival, or otherwise. The predetermined sequenceof tones could also include a single tone, an essentially randomsequence, or a non-musical sound, such as the sound of a small explosionreminiscent of a traditional cracker. Preferably, the microchip isprogrammed such that the song, tune tone or sound is only repeated apredetermined number of times. Most preferably, in embodiments of theinvention adapted to play a song or tune, the sequence is repeatedtwice, whereas in embodiments adapted to generate an explosive sound,for example, the sequence is preferably played only once.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:—

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cracker, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal components of thecracker of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the sound module,activation switches and triggering mechanisms of the cracker shown inFIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram in respect of the sound module, battery,speaker and switch mechanisms of the cracker.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, the invention provides a cracker 1, having acentral generally tubular body 2, defining an internal containmentregion 3, and a pair of opposing pull-formations 4, joined to oppositeends of the body by respective frangible connecting portions 5. In thepreferred embodiment, the body 2, pull-formations 4 and connectingportions 5 are integrally formed from a paper-covered cardboard panel,rolled into a tube with overlapping longitudinal edges joined togetheralong an adhesion line. The overlapping edges are preferably joined bymeans of double-sided adhesive tape, but may alternatively be joined bygluing, interlocking flaps or tabs, stapling, stitching or othersuitable means.

The connecting portions are defined by respective series ofcircumferentially spaced cut-outs 6. Each series of cut-outs defines acircumferential line of weakness and also allows a radial contractionbetween the associated pull-formation and the central body. A string tie7, contracts the connecting portion in this region, and thereby providesthe traditional neck region of reduced diameter at each end of thecentral body.

The cracker includes a sound module 10 incorporating a battery 11,speaker unit 12, and an integrated circuit or microchip 13 containingstored information corresponding to a predetermined sequence of audibletones, such as a Christmas Carol, festive tune or other sound.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the cracker further includes anactivation mechanism 15, in the form of a pair of switches 16, connectedin parallel. Each switch includes a movable first contact 17,resiliently biased toward a stationary second contact 18, on anunderlying circuit board 19. The sound module and associated activationmechanism are ideally wrapped together in heat-shrink plastic 20, andglued to an internal surface of the containment region 3 of the body(see FIG. 2), which also contains a traditional toy, gift or noveltyitem (not shown). In alternative embodiments, the sound module and theactivation mechanism are contained in an integral housing, oralternatively in respective discrete housings, which may optionally beconnected together.

The cracker further includes a pair of trigger mechanisms 21, each beingattached at one end to a respective one of the pull-formations and beingoperatively connected at the other end to the activation mechanism 15,whereby detachment of either one of the pull-formations from the centralbody as the cracker is pulled, causes the respective trigger mechanismto activate the sound module. The sound module is adapted uponactivation to play the predetermined tune, and the microchip ispreferably programmed such that the tune is played only a predeterminednumber of times.

In the preferred embodiment, each trigger mechanism includes an elongateactivation strip 22 formed from or incorporating a suitable insulatingmaterial such as cardboard or plastic. Each activation strip is securedat one end to the associated pull-formation and is positioned at theproximal end between the first and second contacts of the respectiveswitch 16, so as to maintain the switch in an inoperative or open state.In this way, separation of either one of the pull-formations from themain body of the cracker physically removes the proximal end of theassociated activation strip from the respective switch, whereby thefirst and second contacts are resiliently biased into engagement. Theswitch is thereby moved into an operative state, closing the triggeringcircuit and activating the sound module. The outer ends of theactivation strips are preferably secured to the respectivepull-formations, so that the cracker will operate effectively withoutthe pull-formations or activation strips needing to be held or grippedin any particular way by the users. It will be appreciated, however,that this feature is optional, and that in alternative less preferredembodiments, the outer ends of the activation strips may simply restwithin the respective pull-formations without being secured, in whichcase reliable activation is dependent upon the users gripping theactivation strips in conjunction with the respective pull-formations.

Because the switches 16 are connected in parallel, as best seen in FIG.4, because the triggering mechanisms are symmetrically arranged, andbecause there is nothing otherwise inherent in the cracker that wouldbias separation or activation toward one pull-formation or the other,the sound module is activated irrespective of which pull-formationseparates from the main body of the cracker, and each pull-formation isequally likely to separate. Importantly, this preserves the element ofrandomness and surprise associated with traditional crackers. It will beappreciated, however, that other forms of switching devices andtriggering mechanisms may alternatively be used.

The invention provides a simple and reliable cracker, which provides anaural component of festivity and surprise, in a novel form. Theinvention is cost-effective to manufacture, because it can essentiallybe assembled, rolled, sealed and crimped in the conventional manner,without the need for more complex and expensive production techniques.Furthermore, the cracker of the present invention advantageously retainsa traditional outward appearance and despite its internalsophistication, avoids any inherent bias toward one pull-formation orthe other, such that the element of random bilateral activation is alsoeffectively retained. Moreover, the invention achieves these endswithout the use of explosives. This in turn makes the process ofpackaging, transporting and distributing the crackers in commercialquantities a relatively more straightforward, less expensive and lesshazardous exercise. In these and other respects, the inventionrepresents a practical and commercially significant improvement over theprior art.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specificexamples, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that theinvention may be embodied in many other forms.

1. A cracker including: a central body; a pair of opposingpull-formations frangibly connected to opposite ends of the centralbody; a sound module disposed substantially within the central body andadapted upon activation to produce a predetermined sequence of audibletones; activation means for the sound module; and triggering meansoperable such that detachment of either one of the pull-formations fromthe central body causes the triggering means to activate the soundmodule.
 2. A cracker according to claim 1, wherein the triggering meansinclude a pair of triggering mechanisms, each being operativelyassociated at one end with a respective one of the pull-formations andbeing operatively connected at the other end with the activation means.3. A cracker according to claim 2, wherein each of said triggermechanisms includes an elongate activation strip.
 4. A cracker accordingto claim 3, wherein each of said activation strips is secured at one endto a respective one of the pull-formations.
 5. A cracker according toclaim 1, wherein the sound module is electronic, and includes a battery,a speaker and a microchip containing stored information corresponding tothe predetermined sequence of audible tones.
 6. A cracker according toclaim 1, wherein the activation means include a pair of switchesoperatively connected in parallel with the sound module.
 7. A crackeraccording to claim 6, wherein each of said switches includes a movablefirst contact resiliently biased toward a second contact.
 8. A crackeraccording to claim 7, wherein prior to activation, a proximal end ofeach activation strip is disposed to separate the first and secondcontacts of a respective one of said switches, so as to maintain therespective switch in an inoperative or open state.
 9. A crackeraccording to claim 8, wherein upon physical removal of the proximal endof each of said activation strips, the corresponding first and secondcontacts of the respective switch are resiliently biased into mutualengagement, whereby the respective switch is moved into an operativestate and the sound module is thereby activated.
 10. A cracker accordingto claim 1, wherein the predetermined sequence of audible tonescorresponds to a musical tune.
 11. A cracker according to claim 10,wherein the musical tune and is associated with a traditional, culturalor religious celebration or festival.
 12. A cracker according to claimed10, wherein the predetermined sequence of tones is non-musical incharacter.
 13. A cracker according to claim 12, wherein thepredetermined sequence of tones is an aural representation of a smallexplosion reminiscent of a traditional cracker.
 14. A cracker accordingto claim 1, wherein the sound module is programmed such that thepredetermined sequence of audible tones is repeated a predeterminednumber of times.
 15. A cracker according to claim 1, wherein the soundmodule is programmed such that the predetermined sequence of audibletones is sounded only once.
 16. A cracker according to claim 1, whereinthe pull-formations are connected to opposite ends of the central bodyby means of respective frangible connecting portions.
 17. A crackeraccording to claim 16, wherein the central body, the pull-formations,and the connecting portions are integrally formed from a single panel ofsheet material.
 18. A cracker according to claim 17, wherein the centralbody, the pull-formations and the connecting portions are formed byrolling the panel of sheet material into a tube such that longitudinaledges of the tube overlap, joining the overlapping edges, and formingneck regions of reduced diameter near the connecting portions.
 19. Acracker according to claim 17, wherein the sheet material is cardboard.20. A cracker according to claim 16, wherein the connecting portions aredefined by respective series of circumferentially cut-outs.
 21. Acracker according to claim 1, wherein the sound module and theactivation means are wrapped together in heat-shrink plastic, andsecured to an internal surface of a containment region defined withinthe central body.
 22. A cracker according to claim 1, wherein the soundmodule and the activation means are contained within an integralhousing, which is disposed within the central body.
 23. A crackeraccording to claim 1, wherein the central body further contains aremovable novelty item.